Resetting the chessboard
by Andysaurus
Summary: Sullivan does not betray Costello, but the improved police deployment causes Costello's temper to make him slip up. Ending Version 2.
1. Temper, Temper

Billy wondered if he should text their possible destination to Sullivan. Twice now, he had texted details to Sullivan, and twice they had still evaded the police intercepts, just. Twice Billy had called wolf by making the excuse of checking for a second police car tail. The police were getting cleverer in tailing Costello, but because of the mole Costello was getting away, just. On balance Billy decided not to send the text and switched off the phone. The risk was just too great.

Something was wrong. He had felt it from the first when Sullivan contacted him. Although he was supposed to be watching the rear wing mirror for cops, Billy thought back to that night when Sullivan had first called him. He had thought; why had Sullivan wanted to recall him? Dignum would not have given a dime for Billy. Something was wrong, had to be wrong. Was Sullivan up to the job of running him? Was Sullivan just a jumped up cop? Was Sullivan really kosher? Yes, was Sullivan the real deal? Was Sullivan even real; Billy had always been faced with that problem which is why he had not responded to Sullivan;s recall. Now Billy was really worried.

Billy continued to watch the road, scanning it for cop cars. Then Costello's phone rang. It could be the mole. Billy listened, though it never revealed anything useful. Evidently the mole was having a bad time getting info to Costello, and an even harder time distracting the police intercepts. As on the previous two night jobs, there were several increasingly angry conversations over the next ten minutes as the cops played cat and mouse. Then Costello snarled again what would happen to Sullivan if they were caught!


	2. Run Wabbit, Run

Billy came alive. Now he had to lie low and act as if he had either not heard or Costello had said nothing. Finally they got to the delivery point. Billy suggested that he act as lookout; Costello immediately said yes. Billy returned to previous critical road junction a quarter of a mile behind, and hid. Eventually some police cars did approach, but manoeuvred for a different exit.

Should he try to get their attention? As it would be difficult, Billy was uncertain, and let the opportunity slip by. With mixed feelings Billy phoned Costello and told him about the car, and then said that maybe Costello should not pick him up and just leave in case more cops came. Costello agreed that Billy should return to Boston immediately.

That was perfect. Billy could make out that it had taken him all night to get home because he had not wanted to risk calling a cab. Instead, he walked to the first diner and paid a lorry driver a tip to drop him in North Boston. After sneaking home, he could claim that he needed a day's rest and put the time to other uses. The only problem was that his car was still in Costello's car park, so he would have to go into South-ey, even though he wanted the next night off.


	3. Letter Writing

After a couple of hours sleep and a bite to ear and drink, Billy wrote a letter to the police. Who to was another matter. After a couple of drafts, in hard to trace capitals what was written was :

"**To any Police Captain (or Sergeant Dignum),**

**I am Queenan's informant inside Costello's gang. Costello's mole now has control of the contact phone.**

**Costello had Queenan tailed and then sent in a kill squad. We had to separate - I was the real target. The police officers who were on the scene may have been part of an unauthorised(?) tail, if so The Mole was responsible for informing Costello where we were.**

**The improved police tailing is getting to Costello - he got so mad that he called the mole by name - SULLIVAN. Staff Sergeant Sullivan who claims to have taken over from Queenan and that Dignum is on sick leave. Sullivan also wanted me to report in (claiming the SIU was worried about me) - Dignum would never have done that, he regards me as disposable.**

**Open Queenan's files (or contact Sergeant Dignum) and find out how to contact me directly. I can't hold on for much longer. Costello and Sullivan are trying everything to discover who I am. Queenan was going to extract me. I will run and ignore what Dignum will do to me if you do not re-establish contact soon.**

**Do not contact the FBI under any circumstances - Costello is a protected FBI informant and Queenan found proof to back this up. Costello is said buy protection by providing information on rivals, the Providence Mafia, and people who he has no use for.**"

Unfortunately this seemed too long so Billy wrote a shorter version :

"**To any Police Captain (or Sergeant Dignum),**

**I am Queenan's informant inside Costello's gang. Costello's mole now has the contact phone.**

**Costello had Queenan tailed and then sent in a kill squad. We had to separate. The police officers on the scene may have been involved, if so The Mole was responsible for informing Costello where we were.**

**The improved police tailing is getting to Costello - he got so mad that he called the mole by name - SULLIVAN. Staff Sergeant Sullivan, who wanted me to report in (claiming the SIU was worried about me) - Dignum would never have done that, he regards me as disposable.**

**Open Queenan's files (or contact Sergeant Dignum) to find out how to contact me. I can't hold on for much longer. Costello and Sullivan are trying everything to identify me. Queenan was going to extract me, so I will run and ignore what Dignum will do to me if you do not re-establish contact soon.**

**Do not contact the FBI under any circumstances - Costello is a protected FBI informant and Queenan found proof to back this up. Costello buys protection by providing information on rivals, the Providence Mafia, and people he has no further use for.**"

Billy then packed a bag with a full change of clothing and writing materials, and concealed it inside a big nondescript plastic shopping bag. He sneaked out of the house by the back route and headed for the SIU.


	4. Into the Mole's den

It was mid morning by the time Billy reached the SIU. Doing his best to hide himself under a hood and affecting a limp, he went inside and up to reception. This was not a normal public area, being for police and special visitors, as he had been a year ago. The receptionist was not immediately forthcoming but eventually Billy learned that Dignum was on leave and there was only Captain Ellerby or Acting Captain Lazall who normally provided night cover. Billy addressed his letter as :

"Captain Ellerby / Lazall cc Staff Sergeant Dignum,  
>PRIVATE,<br>EVIDENCE,  
>State Intelligence Unit"<p>

Billy then gave the letter to a receptionist to go into the internal mail. Then he ran to the lift, at a suitably slow pace. Once outside the SIU and outside any CCTV view, Billy changed his jacket, put on a cap, and then headed to the Public Library.


	5. Library Search

Billy's search through the library's phone directories did not take long. No was listed. Billy suspected that unlike Queenan, Dignum was not the rent a phone type and valued his privacy, or rather his security. However, both Ellerby and Lazall were listed, or at least Billy hoped it was them. Not that he really wanted to risk phoning people who he did not know. Brown might have known, but Billy only wanted to ask for his aid if there was no other way. Billy had thought Brown too trusting and somewhat indiscreet. Billy might do better checking with Ellerby's and Lazzall's neighbours, but for that he would need his car. So Billy decided to go home and get some rest.


	6. Ellerby gets indigestion

Captain Ellerby was about to have lunch when new mail arrived. Best to check it out first. When he found Billy's letter, he was intrigued. It was posted inside the SIU and unlike any addressing he had seen. Ellerby opened and read the letter, then metaphorically threw up. How could he take this seriously, and yet ... There could be some truth. This was the first "detailed" explanation of Queenan's death that might hold water.

Ellerby contacted Surveillance and requested the inventory of Queenan's effects. Then he contacted Brown and asked for a listing of Costello's gang. Unable to do more, Ellerby went for a quick dinner in the canteen. Brown joined Ellerby in the canteen with the list. Ellerby told Brown to say absolutely nothing about what had transpired and to join him with Captain Lazall later. Brown might prove to be of some clandestine use. Ellerby was not a devious cop and disliked undercover operations; he despised informants. However, one had to fight fire with fire.

After a short meal, Ellerby returned to his office and found Queenan's effects list waiting with his secretary. There was a standard issue contact phone listed. Ellerby went to Queenan's office and found the contact phone absent. Quickly reviewing the letter in his mind, Ellerby decided to do a quick check for anything relating to the FBI and almost immediately hit pay dirt. A folder marked FBI and what was inside confirmed the details in Billy's letter. Not wishing to be seen by anyone who might spread gossip, Ellerby quickly left Queenan's office with the file and returned to his own office to continue with his other work.

Mid afternoon, Ellerby met Captain Lazall and showed him Billy's letter with the FBI folder. Lazall was shocked by the revelations. The absence of the contact phone meant little, but so far Billy's letter seemed to fit the few known facts. Now to open Queenan's sealed files without the proper witnesses. get some rest.


	7. Revalations

Captain Lazall was visibly shocked when he read Billy's base entry. Lazall looked at Ellerby and indiscreetly mused "Costigan's a cop". Ellerby had to look for himself as Billy was just a verminous thug as far as the SIU was concerned.

They had to open Billy's personnel file in order to satisfy themselves that Billy really was a good guy. Brown, who had just joined them, overheard this and said "I knew Billy at the Academy. I just couldn't believe that he had turned bad. I knew that he had a bad ass background, but he was one of the few cadets who was decent to me". Ellerby decided that he might as well show Brown the letter. Ellerby stressed that there was no hard evidence, but, just in case, there was a case for keeping Sullivan under close surveillance.

The problem was how to contact Billy. One way was to post Billy a new contact phone. Brown then suggested that they contact the Training Academy and get Billy's old mobile phone number. If it still worked maybe they could set up a meeting. Lazall stressed that care was needed as Billy might not be in a position to talk to them. As luck would have it the old number was still used by Billy's current mobile phone.


	8. Reseting the pieces

It was now late afternoon and Billy was asleep. However the phone woke him and he got a surprise when he answered it.

"Who is this ?" asked Billy.  
>"Can you talk?"<br>"Yes". What the hell? thought Billy.  
>"Is that you Billy, Billy Costagon?"<br>"Yes... who is this". The voice sounded familiar.  
>"Detective Brown, SIU. We were at the Academy together"<br>"OK. what do you want?"  
>"Captain's Ellerby and Lazall are with me, You sent them an anonymous letter"<br>"So why are you involved?". Billy was worried.  
>"Accidentally. Captain Ellerby needed a full list of Costello's gang members and I work under Sullivan. I'm glad you're still one of us". It was a genuine comment, the sort that Ellerby would choke on, but it had a reassuring effect on Billy.<p>

Billy arranged to be picked up by Brown near to his home and driven to near Costello's place. It would save a lot of time. Billy was introduced by Brown to Captain Ellerby and a recent new recruit, Corrigan, who would run Billy and be reasigned to work more directly with both Ellerby and Lazall.

Eventually Billy agreed to try and entrap Sullivan, after which they could either let Billy come back in or try to use the FBI to arrest Billy and put him in a safe jail cell. Then they could try to entrap the FBI operatives and force them to put pressure on Costello.

Billy would have to pick up the phone from Corrigan tomorrow. Meanwhile, as a fail safe, Billy was given the personal phone numbers of all concerned.

* * *

><p>Well, now at least Billy was back in contact with Cops he could trust, he hoped...<p> 


End file.
